Police: 19-year-old had illegal arsenal at Mahopac home

Jan. 5, 2013

This is view of the home of 19-year-old Thomas Margotta, of Mahopac who was charged with firing shots around his house and near a shed at the rear of the house in Mahopac on Jan. 4, 2013. ( Carucha L. Meuse / The Journal News ) / Carucha L. Meuse/ The Journal News

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Thomas George Margotta, who is currently being held at the Putnam County jail, following his arrest by Carmel police on two felony charges of criminal possession of weapons and several misdemeanor charges.

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CARMEL — A 19-year-old Mahopac man accused of firing shots in a backyard shed was found with an arsenal of weaponry including high-capacity gun magazines, authorities said.

Thomas Margotta of 24 Spring Brook Drive is facing two felony weapons-possession charges and several misdemeanors. He had fired numerous rounds from a shotgun into a wooden shed that was within 500 feet of two homes, police said Friday afternoon. Police said he fired a weapon through the walls of the shed in the direction of a nearby home.

A neighbor said they heard the shots and called police.

Police said Margotta was “in possession of several large-capacity rifle magazines, various pistol magazines, assorted rifle and handgun ammunition, as well as an electric stun gun.”

The magazines found could discharge more than 10 rounds each and are illegal for private use.

“We are always concerned when we find something like this. But obviously, in light of what has happened recently, we are even more concerned,” Lt. Brian Karst said, referring to last month’s Newtown, Conn., shootings. He said local police are working with Westchester County police, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on the investigation.

“We are appropriately concerned and are looking into every aspect of this. The investigation is in its infancy,” Karst said.

When asked if he had reason to believe Margotta had a plan to use these weapons in a concerted way, he declined to comment.

Karst would not say whether Margotta had a pistol permit but said the long shotguns that were found do not require a license.

Officer Ernest Iarussi, who was the first on the scene, said he heard several gunshots while canvassing the neighborhood and noticed a young man carrying a shotgun. He said he ordered Margotta to place the firearm on the ground. Margotta complied, police said.

Police would not identify where the gunshots were fired, but in his backyard there is a shed, a jungle gym and what appeared to be a wooden house built into a tree.

A young woman who answered the door Friday at the house said she was the babysitter and that no one else was home.

Margotta also rented a unit in a self-storage facility in Mahopac, which police examined late Thursday. They determined that no firearms were at the location but said they removed certain items they believed required further evaluation. The Westchester County bomb squad conducted this investigation.

Margotta has been charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, felonies, and two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling, all misdemeanors.

He was arraigned Thursday night by Judge Thomas Jacobellis and sent to the Putnam County jail on $250,000 cash bail or $500,000 bond pending a Jan. 29 appearance in Carmel Town Court.